I have been tiptoeing around my two Masdevallia tovarensis for weeks now watching the little buds grow – but they grow oh sooooo slow!! And then last night I managed to break off one of the most developed buds, the one almost ready to open up! A quick slash, a gasp for air, followed by the agonising cries from the loved ones (that would be me) as the plump little bud rolled down the windowsill… taken down in its prime. Hmpf… it really sucks to be clumsy when the orchid shelves are packed this full.
In reality I should just move on and not stress about this, because I have two M. tovarensis and both are in bud with a whole bunch of buds coming. So there will be flowers – eventually. It’s just so frustrating when you have been anticipating the flowers for so long and now the first one will not be perfect…
In case you haven’t seen Masdevallia tovarensis in bloom, you get a pair of perfectly white flowers per inflorescence, and the same inflorescence can bloom again and again. This particular one seems to be exceptionally exuberant as there is already a third bud forming behind the one I broke off… but still…
Yes, I know I am impatient.
Yay, your back:)(i know, its only been a week!) know how you feel, and it is warrented. Orchids grow so slow, and it feels like forever for them to bloom! You’re not alone, i dropped my rychostylis gigantea, only to watch it break whole from the root system. I have it in some moss, so maybe, fingers crossed new roots will grow(not likely, but worth a shot), but ooooh does it sting when you do something like that!
Oh yeah, Karma, I wanted to ask are you using New Zealand sphagnum moss? I’ve never used it, but am curious as i have heard thats the best.
Hi Karma, nice to look in your blog and visited your home today. Send a huge to J from us. Yes, we survived the city but no Botanical Garden this time. Good luck with the Masdevallia, my experience of that kind of orchids? Sorry…
Yes I am back!! 🙂 Busy week… lots of work… but I am back! 🙂 Joan, I am soo sorry to hear about your Rychostylis gigantea, I hope it bounces back sweetie! And yes, I do use sphagnum moss from both New Zeeland and Chile, and I like it a lot! Although a lot of people here go out in the forest collecting their own living moss, I do not… I live in the city so it is not readily available, and I must admit I am a bit concerned about the possibility of bugs coming in with the moss – even though it has a lot of positive qualities (antiseptic and what not…) being alive and all… it’s not been my thing until now at least.
Jeanette, I am so happy to have you back here on the blog!! 🙂 It was very nice to see you and Mikael, it always is. Thanks a lot for my new orchids, always fun! Too bad you did not get to see Botaniska. Perhaps next time. The Masdevalia will be just fine, really, and I will too. Joseph sends his love. Take care!
[…] fabulous comeback for Masdevallia tovarensis After the harrowing near death experience with Madame La Guillotine recently, the spirited tovarensis has made a strong comeback and is displaying the most perfect set […]